LEWIS Wright of Wolverhampton tells us of an unusual ‘find’ and how he was able to link it to an ancestral search he had seen on a website....

“Earlier on in the year (2012) I was watching two of my sons playing football for Codsall Athletic at Fowlers Park in Wolverhampton. I noticed a broken memorial stone in one of the overgrown back gardens that backed onto Fowlers Park. The stone laid by Isaiah Aston Esq on 10th April 1864.

“I have no idea what the stone comemorates but did a little research on Isaiah Aston which I sent to his GGG Grandaughter Kerry Aston.

“Perhaps your publication via your readers can shed some light as to the reason for the for the memorial stone and the reasons for Isaiah's bankruptcy just four years after laying it?” This is the gist of the information which Lewis sent to Kerry....

“I have attached the photo's of the Memorial Stone for you. As I was curious as to why this memorial stone was lying derelict in someone’s back garden I did some research when I got home.

“That is how I came across your GGGrandfather living in Oaks Crescent, Wolverhampton, which even today is quite a well to do road.

“In 1871 there were just a few properties including a school Oaks Crescent. By 1871 the Astons had moved to Cockshutts Colliery and Isaiah was a coal merchant..

“It would appear that in 1868 he was declared bankrupt. He died in the 3rd quarter of 1878 age 59 “I still have no idea what the memorial stone was for or where it was originally located”.

This was Kerry’s reply...

“Thanks for taking the time to respond to my message on the Ancestry board.

“Isaiah Aston did have quite a large house and 2 servants and a gardener and I’ve traced my family tree back to the property at Oaks Crescent . (He is my great, great, great granddad!). I don’t actually live in Wolverhampton, I live in Bedfordshire so know nothing about Wolverhampton I’m afraid”.